Excerpt from this tour company. Gravel is the predominant surface, though a local driver told me it is a good surface with small aggregate. This I look forward to!!

The route between Chachapoyas and Cajamarca areas is via one of the most spectacular roads in Peru. Between the two cities is the deep (twice as deep as the Grand Canyon) Marañon Canyon. It is an unforgettable journey.Personally I prefer to travel from Leymebamba on the Chachapoyas side to Cajamarca. Why? Because this is a journey of sensory overload and by the time you get to the rolling hills between Celendin and Encañada 30mins before Cajamarca a time of reflection is needed.Leymebamba is at 2200m (7215ft) and the road climbs past the Mummy Museum up to a the lip of the Marañon Canyon at 3615m (11855ft). On a the best days you are here early and a sea of cloud obscures the valley bottom, yet you can see your road ahead some 5 hours driving time at the western side of the Canyon. The total descent to the crossing point is 2800m (9180ft) and you drive by high grassland, cloud forest and dry forest. You will need to be wrapped up warm at the top and ready to peel off layers as you descend. Just above Balsas on the way down is Hornopampa – Oven Plain – well named as here the heat really kicks in.Balsas is the lowest point of the journey and is where you cross the Marañon via a suspension bridge. This is a great place for a leg stretch and try the roasted in-their-shell peanuts. The drive on the western bank passes many different cacti as it winds up towards the Limon Plain. At Limon you can see the road zigzagging above to the western edge of the canyon – the best stopping point is before you get to the last hairpin.Just beyond is the market town of Celendin which is famous for straw hats made and worn there. From there the road twists and turns, gently climbing to a flat pass. The last section from Encañada is particularly beautiful in the afternoon light. A little further and you get the first glimpse of Cajamarca spreading out in the valley below.Ref: Valaya Tours.com

30/4/2013 Chachapoyas
to LejmebambaD86, T6.3,9, Av13.17,
Max52, Tot 13652, 3649Mostly flat gravel
road following the Utcubamba upstream, mild temps, sunny
Finally the diarrhoea has departed, my appetite is back.
Pleased I am, that drugs did not aid in its removal, I don’t
want to have to pop pills every time something is wrong. These then have side
effects, the slightest of which could affect my riding ability.
I headed to Chris’ room and said goodbye.
Then headed into town for a chicken and rice breaky with
papaya juice.
Finally leaving town at 0830, it was all downhill
backtracking to where the cherimoya farm was then the gravel started.
It was no problem, the gravel that is, it was a nice day and
the scenery in these parts takes your mind off any hardships the road may throw
at you.
The river was being followed upstream. People were making
road repairs along the way. At one point they had a trench almost across the
road, the guy said the wait was an hour. I asked to go through and just got
across before the whole road was dug up.
Further on just off the road a family were crushing sugar
cane using two bulls bridled and walking in a circle around the crush.
I went in to say hi, they offered me fresh cane juice, a
brown fluid, bloody sweet but nice, better than coke if it was cold. I asked to
take a few photos, they were cool about it. They gave me juice for the road.
Moving on, there were bromeliads in almost every tree, it
was fascinating. The Utcubamba was now getting smaller and cleaner as less
people were using her waters for domestic and farming purposes.
Trout lived in these waters.
The road was incredibly dusty, though not too busy. When a
car did go by it threw up a huge cloud of talcum powder.
Again, where I could buy water, I would.
Lunch in a park of sorts was enjoyed in the pueblito at the
turn off to Kuelap.
Two Belgians and a Spanish girl turned up out of the blue
they had just walked 2.5 hours down from the ruins at Kuelap.
About 1500 a campsite was needed to be found for the night.
Unfortunately, every flat area by the stream was fenced or
otherwise inaccessible. No paddocks were set up to be accessed by tractors,
just tracks provide access.
Anyway, people told me Leymebamba was nearby so I thought
well I could get there.
Taking a small side road,a pueblito was visited. These
villages are just groups of street fronting dwellings with extremely basic
interiors of concrete. The people are so friendly. The kids all know tiny bits
of English and many use it.
Gringo is a word heard here but not in Ecuador, it is not
derogatory most of the time.
Riding through the village, getting cold water I pressed on.
Soon, thankfully Leymebamba came into view, arriving at the
town square people were asked about a ground level hostal, one was found.
It was quite cold up here. I booked in, got a cheap price,
though without toilet paper and soap but a towel, I was lucky.
I decided not to unpack the rear bags, bought some soap,
showered, brewed some coffee and went and had quarter of a chook. It is so nice
to be eating properly again.
Back at the motel I read and fell asleep early. It had been
a big day eating dust.

Bromels thriving alongside the Utcubamba spotted while looking for a campsite, this was to exposed from the road.